The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-08-10
Rotterdam and the Hague.

Rotterdam and the Hague.
Rotterdam is considered one of the
most typically-arranged towns in Hol-
land, with its picturesque canals, their
draw-bridges and Innings of trees, inter-
spersed with shipping and backed by
the tall houses with their curious old
gables. And if one strikes one of these
towns on market day there is most
curious study before him-not only in
costume, but in noting all the curious
ways of the people, their modes of
preparing their produce and what they
bring in. And here, too, with the
Dutch language, we feel far more at
sea than with the French and German,
for it goes beyond our capabilities and
we must either take guide or stumble
along alone as best we can. But one
gets on very well; too many English
come here now to make that tongue
strange to them, and most of the shop
men speak English. Last night we
stopped at cellar-way to buy some
little rude pottery, and our guide made
so much commotion with his English
that we soon had a crowd about us to
see what the matter was; but generally
tourists are not noticed much and do
their sightseeing without interruption.
At Rotterdam the Saturday morning
scrubbing commences on Friday night,
and they bring all sorts of things out
on the sidewalk-doors, drawers, car
pets-and there they brush and scrape
for dear life; they then wash the out
side of the houses as high as they can
reach with ladders and don't seem to
think there is anything odd about it.
Having but little fuel, they depend
mostly on peat, and make great peat
fires at certain places and heat a
quantity of water, and then the women
come from their houses with coffee
pots and pitchers and make the de-
coction there, carrying it home wrapped
in their large aprons. They nearly all
wear purple calico; therefore one sees
the shop windows in some cases filled
with it. The large charity hospital here
is good specimen of the neatness and
care of the Dutch, the boards of the
floors being scrubbed so much that the
knots in the wood quite stand out in
relief. | think that Rotterdam gives a
better old-time picture by far than the
Hague, which appears far more modern
=
handsome buildings. 1t is good
place for shopping-for old silver,
linen, photographs and costumes. Many
of the latter can be bought new, and
are useful in fancy or costume parties
at home, being so peculiar and unlike
anything found anywhere else. But
little native costume is worn in the
cities. TO see it we must 60 to the
smaller places or to Schereningen, three
miles out from the Hague, fishing
village, where the fisherwomen still adj
here to their antique costumes, which
are most interesting, especially as one
sees the women drawing their fish into
town in small carts, with dogs harnessed
under them. This was the place where
Charles II. embarked for England at
the restoration; and here the Prince
of Orange landed before the fall of
Bonaparte. Our porter at the Belle
vue says " it costs much to live here.
Everywhere our government spends so
much to keep the sea from rolling over
u.s." One sees a gulf here to-day
which holds the ground where forty
four villages existed, but were all swal-
lowed by the sea in one year, and
! examples OF tnlS are IOunu all over
Holland. | think there is a very
peculiar charm here, and everything
about the people is interesting. The
excursion to Schereningen is made by
horse-car through the best part of the
Hague, passing many beautiful homes
and lordly gardens, and for two miles
the track lies through an avenue of
trees, just wide enough for the cars
with the tops entirely interlaced and
another avenue just like it running
parallel. There are now many villas
and large boarding establishments AND
an immense music hall, which we saw
last night filled to suffocation with peo.
pie all seated about tables, eating OF
drinking according tot the usual German
fashion, and paying few cents or
nothing for admission, and considerable
for what he gets inside. The shore is
lined with lighthouses, which are run
down into the sea as in England, and
tall bath-chairs of straw, where one
sits on the beach, leaning back com
fortably, well protected from the sun
and wind, to enjoy the sea and bathing
the top coming up above the head and
forming complete cage excepting in
front. We certainly ought to have 6
large supply of them on our side. Con
nected with the music hall is large
hotel, and all about the lower story are
fine shops where most everything car
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Boston
T1nIoIIe1,